Method and device for supplying, discharging and transferring of objects, like fruits

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for transporting and/or classifying objects such as fruits, comprising: a supply conveyor ( 11 ) for supplying the objects at a relatively small pitch; a discharge conveyor ( 13 ) for discharging the objects at a relatively large pitch, for instance for classification purposes; and a transferring device ( 12 ) for transferring the objects from the first conveyor ( 11 ) to the second conveyor ( 13 ), wherein the speed of forward movement of the transferring device is adapted to the speed of the discharge conveyor and wherein the transferring device comprises gripper members ( 17 ) arranged in pairs for gripping the objects.

Known for instance from the European patent application EP-A-0687508 isan apparatus wherein fruits are clamped between grippers, lifted bythese grippers, weighed during the lifting and classified on the basisof the weighing in that the fruits are released from the grippers atpredetermined locations. Such a classifying apparatus requires a largenumber of grippers, for instance along a length of as much as 40 metres,which makes this construction expensive.

The present invention comprises an apparatus for transporting and/orclassifying objects such as fruits, comprising:

a supply conveyor for supplying the objects at a relatively small pitch;

a discharge conveyor for discharging the objects at a relatively largepitch which is in any case no smaller than the small pitch, for instancefor classification purposes; and

a transferring device for transferring the objects from the firstconveyor to the second conveyor, wherein the speed of forward movementof the transferring device is adapted to the speed of the dischargeconveyor and wherein the transferring device comprises gripper membersarranged in pairs for gripping the objects.

Using the apparatus according to the present invention the speed of thesupply conveyor is utilized optimally—the fruits are supplied forinstance at a speed of 8 units per second—while the discharge conveyorconsists of transporting members, such as cup-like fruit receivingmembers, which have a larger mutual pitch, wherein damage to the fruitis prevented during the transfer between supply conveyor and dischargeconveyor since it does not undergo a falling movement. In a furtherpreferred embodiment the fruits can likewise be rotated through forinstance a half-turn.

A discharge conveyor with cup-like receiving members is per se knownfrom the European patent application EP-A-062007, wherein the fruitfalls or rolls some distance downward during transfer between supplyconveyor and discharge conveyor, which can result in damage to thefruit.

The gripper members preferably comprise substantially stiff arms andprotective sleeves of soft material to further prevent damage to fruit.

In a further preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to theinvention at least one cross conveyor is arranged below the transferringdevice in order to enable separate discharge of fruit less suitable forconsumption and/or double fruits prior to classification.

The apparatus is preferably provided in a further preferred embodimentwith rotating means for viewing the fruits both before and after thetransferring device, for instance for quality control purposes.

Further advantages, features and details of the present invention willbe elucidated in the light of the following description of a preferredembodiment thereof with reference to the annexed drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a method and apparatus accordingto the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a view in perspective of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a view in perspective of detail III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows a view in perspective of an alternative embodiment of theelement shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view in perspective of a second alternative embodiment ofthe gripper element shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6A is a side view of a first preferred embodiment of a furtherapparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 6B is a side view of a second preferred embodiment of a furtherapparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 7A shows detail VIIA of FIG. 6A;

FIG. 7B shows a view in perspective of detail VIIB of FIG. 6B;

FIG. 8A and 8B show respective front views of the apparatus of FIG. 6B;

FIG. 9 is a schematic side view of a further preferred embodiment of anapparatus according to the present invention; and

FIG. 10 shows a partly cut away view in perspective of the apparatus ofFIG. 9.

A preferred embodiment 10 (FIG. 1, 2) of an apparatus according to thepresent invention comprises a supply roller conveyor 11, transferringmeans 12 and a discharge conveyor 13 which comprises tiltable cups 14 inwhich fruits F of different size are placed at relatively large pitchdistance P. From conveyor 13 the fruits F are sorted according to weightand the like in a manner not shown - each cup filled with a fruit isweighed in the discharge conveyor using weight measuring means, forinstance a measuring bridge.

The fruits F are supplied on a driven roller conveyor, wherein therollers 15 for instance comprise diabolo-shaped brush elements (see FIG.2) wherein the pitch distance p is smaller than the pitch distance P ofdischarge conveyor 13. Close to reversing wheel 16 of supply conveyor 11the fruits F are gripped one at a time by gripper elements 17 oftransferring device 12, wherein the fruits are as it were transferred ina continuous horizontal path to the discharge conveyor 13, wherein thefruits are prevented from making a falling movement during the transferbetween supply conveyor 11 and discharge conveyor 13.

The diabolo-shaped brush elements are preferably applied in the case ofvulnerable fruits such as soft apples, pears and the like; in the caseof harder fruits use is usually made of diabolo-shaped elements withoutbrushes.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a cross conveyor 20 fordischarge of unsuitable fruit, or for instance double fruit, is alsoarranged in the area between supply conveyor 11 and discharge conveyor13 below gripper elements 17. If these elements are moved apart by acontrol (not shown) on the basis of an indication by operative personnelor automatic identifying means who/which have established that a fruitis not suitable for consumption, such a fruit can be discharged by thecross conveyor.

In addition to the components shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 also depicts anumber of components in more detail, for instance the drive motor 21 forthe transporting means 11, 12 and 13, the movement of which istransmitted in the shown preferred embodiment via chains 22, 23, 24, 25and 26, whereby the drives of transporting means 11, 12 and 13 aresynchronized. It is of course equally conceivable to havesynchronization take place in electronically controlled manner.

FIG. 2 also shows clearly that gripper elements 17 are urged toward eachother counter to the action of a helical spring 27 using a guide rail 28and rail tracking wheel 29 (see also FIG. 3) to a position under arelevant fruit F which is as it were scooped out from between therollers 15.

Grippers 17 (see also FIG. 3) are formed by arms 30 which are coupled bya mutual spring 27 and on which are arranged soft protective sleeves 31of for instance rubber, rubber-like or plastic material. Thesubstantially stiff arms 30 are each pivotable on a pivot pin 32,wherein the degree of the mutual pivoting movement is linked via toothedwheel sectors 33 which are mutually engaging.

Guide rail 28 pushes the arms 30 apart via tracking wheel 29, whereafterthe arms are clamped under the fruit by spring 27. The arms are onceagain pressed apart above a cup 14 so that the fruit is laid in the cup.

In an alternative preferred embodiment as according to FIG. 4, gripperelements 47 are mutually connected with two draw springs 46 arranged onarms 45 pivoting on shaft ends 44, wherein arms 45 are urged apart whena force is exerted in the direction of arrow D on tracking wheel 43, forinstance by a cam disc (not shown).

A further preferred embodiment of a gripper element 57 (FIG. 5)according to the present invention comprises gripper arms 56 arranged inpairs, for instance for gripping an elongate fruit such as a pear Q.Arms 56 are mutually coupled in pairs using draw springs 55 and areprovided on the top with toothed wheel segment 54, wherein the positionof the arms 56 is determined in each case in pairs by the thickness atthe position of the fruit Q. When arms 56 are urged apart all six musthowever be moved apart simultaneously when a force is exerted on therail tracking wheel 58. Respective transmitting elements 60 are arrangedfor this purpose on shaft 59.

In the preferred embodiments according to the present inventiondescribed hereinbelow the fruits are rotated through for instance ahalf-turn during the transferring process.

In the embodiment of FIG. 6A fruits V are supplied via a roller conveyor61, above which is placed a camera 79 for viewing the fruits V, forinstance for quality control and/or to determine shape and size. Thefruits are gripped by means of gripper arms 62 disposed in pairs androtated during transfer to a discharge transporting device 70 using anelectric motor 80 which causes cup-like elements 66 to turn through forinstance about 180°. The cup-like elements engage to the greatestpossible extent round the centre line of the fruits.

FIG. 8A and 8B show clearly that with dish or cup-like elements 66 bothlarge fruits V′ and small fruits V″ can be gripped close to their centreline.

In a second preferred embodiment as shown in FIG. 6B the fruits areremoved from a supply conveyor 61 using hands or grippers 82 andtransferred to an intermediate conveyor 63, of which rollers 64 can bedriven either synchronously or not with the speed of the grippers 82using drive elements 65.

As shown in FIG. 7B, the hands 82 are moved slightly outward aboveroller 64, whereafter the fruits V are rotated approximately through ahalf-turn by driving two rollers 64 for an adjustable time period.

In both embodiments the fruits V are then transferred to a dischargetransporting device 70 using gripper arms 62 respectively 82, abovewhich device is disposed a camera 71 which, after rotation of the fruitsthrough for instance roughly a half-turn, can view the other side of thefruits.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 9 fruits W are transferred usinggripper elements 72 which are arranged on a central shaft and thusexecute a circular movement. It will be apparent that this embodiment ofFIGS. 9 and 10 requires a relatively small number of gripper arms, whichlimits the cost thereof. It would also be conceivable in this embodimentto provide the gripper arms 72 with elements wherein the fruits can berotated, for instance while passing through a full circle rotationbetween gripper arms 72, wherein gripper arms 72 must then be rotatedapproximately at double speed.

The present invention is not limited to the above described preferredembodiments thereof; the rights applied for are defined by the followingclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. Apparatus for transporting and/or classifyingobjects such as fruits, comprising: a supply conveyor, having a firstlongitudinal axis, for supplying the objects at a relatively small pitchrelative to the first longitudinal axis; a transferring device fortransferring the objects from the first conveyor, said transferringdevice comprising a first reversing wheel at a distal end of thetransferring device and gripper members arranged in pairs for grippingthe objects; and a discharge conveyor, having a second longitudinalaxis, for classifying, such as weighing, and for discharging the objectsat a relatively large pitch relative to the second longitudinal axis,the large pitch of the discharge conveyor greater than the small pitchof the supply conveyor, said discharge conveyor having a secondreversing wheel at a proximal end of the discharge conveyor, said supplyconveyor, transferring device, and discharge conveyor being arranged atsubstantially the same horizontal level, wherein the speed of theforward movement of the transferring device is synchronized with thespeed of the discharge conveyor and of the supply conveyor so that theobjects are transferred into the discharge conveyor from thetransferring device at or near the respective first and second reversingwheels of the respective transferring device and discharge conveyor andso that discharged objects are spaced apart by the large pitch. 2.Apparatus of claim 1, wherein the supply conveyor comprises a rollerconveyor with substantially diabolo-shaped elements.
 3. Apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the discharge conveyor comprises substantially cup-likereceiving members.
 4. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gripper memberscomprise substantially stiff arms and protective members ofsubstantially soft material.
 5. Apparatus of claim 4, wherein theprotective members are sleeves of rubber-like or plastic material. 6.Apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is provided with at leastone cross conveyor arranged below the transferring device.
 7. Apparatusof claim 1, further comprising rotating means for causing a fruit torotate.
 8. Apparatus of claim 7, wherein the rotating means comprise aplurality of successively arranged, to a greater or lesser extent brakedroller elements wherein the roller elements are proximate thetransferring device so that fruit may be brought into operative contactwith the roller elements during transfer by the transferring device, andwherein the roller elements are driven for an adjustable time period toeffect rotation of the fruit.
 9. Apparatus of claim 7, wherein therotating means comprise an electric motor operatively connected to arespective pair of gripper members so that during transport to thedischarge convevor the electric motor may be actuated to effect rotationof the respective pair of gripper members.
 10. Apparatus of claim 7,further comprising a plurality of cameras, wherein fruit are viewed byone camera in proximity to the supply conveyor and are viewed by anothercamera in proximity to the discharge conveyor so that fruit is viewed byrespective cameras before and after rotation.